Skiing

Specialist Reports Activity Holidays Skiing Accommodation 

Chalets

Chalets are the traditional accommodation for British skiers in Europe. The chalet is basically a private house that can accommodate anything between 6 to 20 guests. Chalets are usually traditionally furnished, cosy rather than stylish, though there aer a growing number of luxury chalets, with open fires, comfy sofas and lots of hot water.

The real plus is that they are staffed by enthusiastic young skiers or snowboarders keen to spend the season in a ski resort (usually British but increasingly Australian or New Zealanders).

You can expect a cooked breakfast, homemade cakes and tea when you get in from an afternoon's skiing and a three course supper (usually with unlimited wine) in the evening. Obviously there is limited choice of food but special diets can be catered for, given notice.

It's a set up that is often perfect for families, as non skiers have somewhere comfortable to spend the day. The main downside can be how well you get on with the other guests. Many families join up with friends to book out a whole chalet and indeed, some tour operators only permit children in a party which books a whole chalet. If this is not the case check that other guests are not likely to be horrified by the presence of smaller guests.

The staff do the cooking, cleaning, shopping and normal chores and usally take one night off during the week when guests eat at a local restaurant. Lunch is not included and is usually taken on the slopes. The staff can sometimes babysit by private arrangement and can be a great source of local knowledge on everything from the best slopes and instructors to bars and restaurants.

All of this could change in the future as French authorities are trying to get English operators to pay their chalet staff French minimum wages and are taking Mark Warner and Meriski to court .

The ski companies argue that benefits in kind (food and lodgings) mean that their staff are as well paid as their French counterparts.

As usual with holiday accommodation, you need to make sure your rooms suit you and the children. As some chalets are converted rather than purpose-built this is an issue to raise when booking.

Hotels

The services of a chalet, plus more, including in some cases in-house childcare. If you want to pay for it, some even offer a swimming pool which will warm everyone up after the day in the snow. This is the place to be if you don't want to be sociable/ you want your own space but facilities as well.

Family accommodation is not always available so you might end up squashed in one room. On the other hand there are a number of independent hotels, particularly in Austria, Switzerland and North America, which cater specifically to the family market. In the first two you may not necessarily meet other English-speaking families but the tourist offices of both can supply current lists.

A variant is something known as a chalet club-hotel, taken over for the season by a tour operator and staff. Here you will be in something of a one-nation ghetto but with plenty of children's activities set up for when skiing is over for the day.

Self-Catering

The cheapest option, but often rather bleak and extremely cramped (shoebox is the term used for the majority of ‘70s properties). Sleeps X generally includes at least two if not three on the living room sofas. In addition this kind of accommodation makes it harder for the children to meet others, or to socialise with them after the day's main activity is over.

If you want the option of something better than the basic look at a self-catering specialist which cover ski areas. Interhome makes a big point of this but there are others detailed in the relevant reports on Self-Catering.